HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — A gourd weighing 2,058 pounds has taken first prize and set a new tournament record at this year’s pumpkin-weighing contest in Half Moon Bay.
Fifty-six-year-old John Hawkley says he grew the winning pumpkin in the Napa Valley and will use the $13,000 in prize money to make repairs on his home, which was damaged during an earthquake in August.
Hawkley was crowned the victor on Monday.
Tim Beeman, a spokesman for the weigh-off, says Hawkley “squashed” his competition, beating the runner-up by more than 300 pounds.
Hawkley credited his success at least in part to the warm weather this year. He ended up with a total of six pumpkins in his front yard, another one of which was also over 2,000 pounds.
